Liberal leadership: Chianello on third-time-unlucky Kennedy

Gerard Kennedy waves on stage at the Ontario Liberal Leadership convention in Toronto on Saturday, January 26, 2013.Nathan Denette
/ The Canadian Press

Ontario Liberal Party leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy waves to supporters at the convention in Toronto on Saturday January 26, 2013.Frank Gunn
/ The Canadian Press

Ontario Liberal Party leadership candidate Kathleen Wynne celebrates with fellow candidates Eric Hoskins (left), Gerard Kennedy (right) and Charles Sousa after they gave her their support at the convention in Toronto on Saturday January 26, 2013.Frank Gunn
/ The Canadian Press

Workers set up the stage for Gerard Kennedy at the Ontario Liberal Leadership convention in Toronto on Saturday, January 26, 2013.Nathan Denette
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

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TORONTO — When it comes to Liberal leadership campaigns, it’s now three times unlucky for Gerard Kennedy.

But this latest unsuccessful run, for the Ontario party’s top job, hasn’t dampened the Toronto politician’s enthusiasm for public office. He says he will likely run in the next provincial election, whenever it may come.

“That was always my expectation,” Kennedy told the Citizen at the Liberal leadership convention, while on his way to cast his final ballot. “Now there’s no election, but I don’t think you can run for leader and not intend to be part of whatever effort goes forward.”

Kennedy came a disappointing third in this weekend’s race to replace Dalton McGuinty as Liberal leader and premier. His campaign never quite got off the ground.

“We did have some trouble at the beginning, in part it was because I was a couple weeks late sending signals to people,” Kennedy admitted. “It wasn’t an easy decision to make — and (the campaign) was short.”

But, he added, “it turns out that people had been working in advance of the premier’s public declaration, respectfully. So that was a factor in this race, big time.”

After the second-ballot results were announced, Kennedy withdrew from contention, released his delegates and moved to Kathleen Wynne’s camp just after fellow candidate Charles Sousa joined Wynne.

The two queen-makers did talk amongst themselves about where each of them might throw their support, Kennedy said, but didn’t come to a formal agreement to go to Wynne together.

“We had discussed working together — I think that’s not unusual,” Kennedy told the Citizen. “We also had discussed what might be the next way to go. At one point we were thinking of going together, but it ended up that we made separate decision on that. And I had to talk to my supporters — we had a caucus, and we endorsed this idea.”

However, the Kennedy confirmed Sousa knew of his plans to go to Wynne before Sousa had declared who he would support.

As for why Kennedy chose Wynne over front-runner Sandra Pupatello, he said it was “the circumstance of government” more than anything else.

“Two women, both very qualified to be premier, but Kathleen I think is in a better position with her style and her experience to solve the problems of the government,” said Kennedy.

Among other things, he believes the Liberal government has to build “a better connection with the people of Ontario ... acknowledge some mistakes and put some solutions in front of people.”

Kennedy rose to prominence in Toronto two decades ago after transforming that city’s largest food bank. Without any government support — relying exclusively on corporate and individual donations — the Daily Bread Food Bank became able to distribute $35 million of food each year.

That kind of leadership, and demonstrated at such a young age (Kennedy is now 52), won him a following of fierce supporters, part of what led him to seek a seat in provincial politics in a 1996 by-election. Six months later, he entered the Liberal provincial leadership race as the favourite but lost to Dalton McGuinty on the fifth ballot.

He toughed it out on the opposition benches at Queen’s Park and was named education minister in 2003. He resigned in 2006 to run for the leadership of the federal Liberal Party. At that convention he ended up making a deal to support eventual winner Stéphane Dion — a move that angered some Liberals, including a number who voted in this weekend’s convention and apparently still haven’t forgiven him. Once again, Kennedy has found himself in position to help crown an underdog, though he has again fallen short.

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